JULY 11, 2013
Soldiers and police firing tear-gas canisters at protesters at the Rivers State House of Assembly Port Harcourt ... on Wednesday
The video of the mayhem that occurred in the Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday caused emotional agitation on Wednesday at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, venue of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting.
Vice President Namadi Sambo presided over the meeting as President Goodluck Jonathan is currently on a state visit to China.
As soon as ministers started arriving, Aso Rock technical members started playing the video.
It was beamed on the big screen inside the chamber as well as the smaller screens placed on the desk in front of each minister.
One of the key actors in the political struggle in the state, Nyesom Wike, who is the Minister of State for Education, was already in the chamber at the time the video was being played. Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ama Pepple, who is also from the state, was also in attendance.
As soon as the violence was being aired, some ministers, including the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu; Minister of State, Power, Zaynab Kuchi and the Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement, Emeka Ezeh, quickly milled around Wike, who is believed to be the force behind the five anti-Amaechi lawmakers.
Some of them were heard telling Wike that the impression in town was that he was the brain behind the crisis.
To this, the minister quickly replied, “Did you see me there? I was in Abuja here when it was happening.”
As some of them screamed as they watched how a lawmaker was hitting his colleague with a broken maze on the head, Wike was overhead saying the crisis was part of politics.
“See the governor, see the governor’s ADC on the floor of the Assembly. That is the gov’s ADC on the floor of the house,” Wike repeated as they all stayed glued to the big screen.
The elderly Pepple however looked remorseful and refused to utter a word while the show of shame was being aired.
At a point, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, also entered the chamber and joined in watching the video clip.
Sighting Anyim, Wogu shouted from where he was standing, “Secretary to the Government, I hope you are seeing your Assembly men.” The minister later joined the SGF where he was standing to watch the video.
Shortly after the FEC meeting, Wike went to the vice president’s office apparently to brief him on the development.
Although he promised to speak with State House correspondents after his audience with Sambo, he did not.
He was seen making frantic telephone calls as he hurriedly left the villa after the parley with Sambo.
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